Intel’s Pat Gelsinger To Appear At White House Chip Supply Chain Meeting: Report

The White House confab comes just a couple weeks after Intel unveiled its a roughly $20 billion investment for two new fabs in Arizona as part of its “IDM 2.0” strategy. ‘It is definitely encouraging to see this,’ one Intel distributor told CRN.

Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger will appear at a White House-led meeting focused on semiconductor supply chain issues later this month, according to a Reuters report.

Reuters, citing a person familiar with the matter, said Gelsinger will virtually attend the April 12 meeting. The media outlet had previously reported that President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, and top economic aide Brian Deese, would attend the meeting as well as representatives from chipmakers and automakers.

Intel did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Last month, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based tech firm unveiled a roughly $20 billion investment for two new fabs in Arizona as well as a plan to ramp up use of external foundries for some products. The company called Gelsinger’s strategy a “major evolution” of its integrated device manufacturing model.

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“We are the only company with the depth and breadth of software, silicon, platforms, packaging and process with at-scale manufacturing our customers depend on for their next-generation innovations to meet this moment and position our company for the future,” Gelsinger said in the webcast.

Intel is working with the state of Arizona and President Joe Biden’s administration on incentives to support the new factories, Gelsinger said. He added that the company is also competing for a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to build a “domestic, commercial foundry that will also meet the security needs of the U.S. government.”

The two new fabs in Arizona will support Intel’s products but also a new standalone business for the company, Intel Foundry Services, which will “become a major provider” of chip manufacturing capabilities for companies in the United States and Europe, according to Gelsinger, who said the business will be led by Randhir Thakur.

“When you’re going to make a $20 billion investment, it’s good to be having these conversations with government officials,” said Kent Tibbils, vice president of marketing at ASI, a Fremont, Calif.-based Intel distributor. “This is a long-term relationship. I would expect this to happen... it is definitely encouraging to see this.”

The Biden administration has called for a semiconductor supply chain review after reports of a global chip shortage affecting the automobile industry. One carmaker, Subaru, on Monday said it would shutter one of its plants in Japan between April 10 and 27, affecting 10,000 vehicles, according to Reuters.